Heat of the Morning Sun
by TheWestWitch
Summary: Blaze, a Soul from the Fire World, has been inserted into the second son of Harry Potter, Albus Severus Potter. But, when Albus resists, Blaze quickly learns that there is more to our world than he could have ever imagined...
1. Welcome to Earth, Blaze

Chapter 1: Welcome to Earth, Blaze.

I woke, but couldn't see anything other than red through the membranes that are called eyelids on this planet. My eyes weren't open, but I could tell I was in a brightly lit room. I inhaled through my nose, testing the new sense I had never had before coming here. It smelled strangely clean, and almost immediately my new mind associated the smell with the word _hospital_. I could hear the soft shuffling of sneakers moving on tiles as the wearer crossed the room to my side.

"Consumes the Blaze, can you hear me?" The voice was female.

Another person on my left shushed them. "_Shush_, Free. Give him time; he'll respond when he is ready."

I heard a faint '_humph'_ come from the first person, the one wearing the sneakers, but the second person made no comment. They would wait until I opened my eyes, until then I knew they would be watching me silently. The thought didn't bother me terribly – being examined after insertion is part of the procedure.

Then, what I had been waiting for happened. I gritted my teeth as the last memory this human had before the procedure flooded my mind, and drug me into it with full force.

_I failed_, I thought miserably as my heart thudded painfully in my chest. _I failed all of them. I was supposed to bring her back, but instead-_  
The sound of fast-approaching footsteps interrupted my thoughts, and I tried not to move. I tried not to make a sound. My heart thumped faster, my pulse growing louder in my ears. I found myself wondering if they would hear it as they slowed in the corridor outside the closet I had concealed myself in. But maybe they wouldn't.  
The footsteps stopped outside the door, and I could hear them shouting to one another. _That's odd, since when do they shout at one another? _Suddenly, they stopped shouting. The sound of more footfalls informed me that there were more of them – maybe even more of them than I had originally thought. I held my breath as I counted backward from ten, waiting. _Ten…_  
"Over here!"  
"What is it?"  
_Nine._  
"The window's been busted – he went down the fire escape!"  
I inhaled sharply, and my foot nudged an empty paint can. I froze in fear, but they didn't seem to hear it skid across the ground.  
"Well, what are you waiting for? Follow him!"  
Silently exhaling in relief, I counted _eight…_  
Their footsteps retreated to the broken window I had had the sense to shatter before hiding in the messy janitor's closet. I couldn't help smiling at my ingenuity, thinking that Rose would have been proud…  
It became silent shortly after they left, and I finished my slow countdown from ten in the closet. I _knew_ I should have used the Invisibility Cloak this time, but I didn't bring it because I was afraid the parasites would get their hands on it. And the last place that my dad's cloak belonged was in _their_ hands.  
Slowly, I rose to my feet – I had been sitting just behind the door, which had a window set in it at eye-level – and looked through the glass at the hallway on the other side. I considered whooping in triumph when I saw that the coast was clear, but knew there would be a time and place for celebration later. Turning the handle delicately, I pushed the door open so that it made no sound, looking up and down the hallway of the abandoned school. Again, I saw that I was alone and quietly shut the door behind me.  
I considered running, but decided to move slowly until I was certain I was alone. Straining my ears, I listened for any sound that would give away one of the Seekers, but heard nothing. Gaining confidence, I started to sprint down the staircase, taking them two or three at a time. If my adrenaline had not still been pumping through my veins, keeping me on edge, I would have been giddy with joy at my success. _I outsmarted the monsters_, I thought as I landed on the first floor. I would rub this in Rose's face when I returned, I would make certain of it.  
My success, however, was short-lived.  
I did not see the Seeker come up from behind me, and I didn't even know he was still there until he yanked me back by my shoulders. My feet flew out from under me and my head hit the laminate floor a moment later. I couldn't breathe, and stars floated in front of my eyes, rendering me blind. Before I could blink them away, the Seeker sprayed something in front of my face in the instant I gasped for air.  
I tried to hold my breath, but it was too late – I had already inhaled it. It stung my nose; it smelled strongly of peppermint. And I found myself wondering if it was chloroform or something they had brought to Earth with them. I didn't know what chloroform tasted like, but I didn't think it would be minty. I tried to move my arms, hoping to aim a punch at the Seeker, but they felt strangely heavy. I couldn't move them more than an inch from the ground. My eyes began to close on their own accord, and I knew that holding my breath would not help. Thus, I reluctantly inhaled, gasping for air again. The Seeker aimed the mist into my mouth the moment it opened. I started to choke weakly as it hit the back of my throat – a minor irritation – and my eyes finally closed against my will.  
_Lily…_ I thought sluggishly, my thoughts as hard to move as my arms. _I'm sorry, Lily_…

I came back to the room in the hospital to realize I had been tensing my jaw the entire time. I relaxed it slowly, focusing on breathing evenly again, while my eyes were still closed. I had been told that human emotions were powerful, sometimes overwhelming, but none of my other lives had prepared me for this.

I could tell that the others were still in the room, but I wasn't sure how I knew considering they were barely breathing. Once I relaxed, I opened my eyes only to be blinded by the bright overhead lights. As I squinted, the one not wearing sneakers came to my side.

"Blaze, I am Healer Grimm," he said, speaking evenly. "Do you have any pain or discomfort?"

I turned my head slowly, noticing that Grimm was rather young. Or, rather, that his host was young – maybe even younger than my host. At that moment I wondered about the age of my new body, and the number came to mind instantly – twenty-two.

"No," I said quietly. "No, I am fine – just adjusting still."

"Well, take your time – these bodies are quite… different."

The other person in the room – the one wearing the sneakers – made a strange noise. A _snort_, my new mind told me. I turned my head to see an older woman with graying hair wearing a smirk. At least, that was what this mind told me it was.

"I think _different_ is an understatement of sorts, Grimm."

Grimm's dark eyes flashed for a moment, too quick for me to be certain I hadn't imagined it. In a resigned voice, he replied, "I think he is aware, but if you would like to explain how human bodies function differently to him again then be my guest."

Crossing her arms, the woman said, "I think I'll pass. However, I do have a few questions to ask him."

"Can it not wait?"

Looking past the Healer, the woman spoke directly to me, "Are you fit to answer some questions now, or do you wish to wait?"

I pushed myself up so that I was sitting with my legs draped over the flat bed I had been lying on. Meeting her scrutinizing gaze, I said coolly, "I will answer them now. There's no need to wait."

Healer Grimm scowled at the woman as she pushed past him. As she took her place a few feet in front of me, the Healer slowly made his way to the corner of the room where a cryotank – presumably the one I had been hibernating in before being inserted into this body – was resting on the table.

"I am Free of the Beast, but most call me Free on this planet," the woman explained. "I am the leader of the team that recovered your host." Up close, I could see that the irises of her eyes were blue. Her face actually looked kind as she spoke to me, but for some reason I wanted to put additional space between us. She continued to speak with a pleasant tone, and asked, "Have you found the name of your host, Consumes the Blaze?"

I cringed, surprised by how abnormally powerful my disgust was. Nobody had called me by that full name since I had left the Fire World; on the last planet I lived as one of the Bats, and they had shortened the name to Blaze. Oddly, I had found myself preferring the shorter version. "Please, call me Blaze," I pleaded, forcing what was called a smile to form on my face.

"Right," Free said, waving a hand in a gesture I did not yet understand. "Sorry. _Blaze,_ can you tell me the name of your host?"

I thought for a moment, the answer coming slowly as if it did not wish to reveal itself to me. Then, it rolled off my tongue, "Albus Severus Potter was his name. He was twenty-two years old, and would have turned twenty-three in May. He was the son of Harry and Ginevra Potter."

Free smiled as I spoke and, when I finished, asked, "Do you know if he was alone, Blaze?"

"Alone?" I repeated, confused. "What do you mean?"

I felt as if Free was impatient with my lack of understanding due to the way she explained, "Was Albus alone, or was he with other humans?"

Again, I cringed. This time, however, I wasn't sure why. Not a moment later, memories of my host insisting others call him 'Al' instead of 'Albus' entered my train of thought. Free looked troubled by my reaction, but I tried to ignore her as I searched my host's recent memories. Strangely, I found his memory profoundly blank. It was as if the space that should have been filled by several months of memories was empty.

Then, I remembered the names from his memories – the names of flowers – Rose and Lily. The two faces of the girls came to mind, and all I could gather was that Rose was Al's cousin, but nothing else. The lack of information troubled me, made me wonder if something was wrong with the mind of my host, but I kept my face set and my worries to myself.

In the end, I decided not to reveal the girls to the Seeker. After all, there was no way to know if the two girls were still alive or not. At least not until I recovered Al's lost memories. I assumed I could tell the Seeker if I learned the girls were wild humans.

I insisted, "No, Albus was alone." And, unfortunately, found myself making a face of disgust without intending to at the sound of his name.

Nodding, Free said, "Good. Now, Blaze, I have one last question for you…"

My eyebrows came together when she trailed off, seeming to be waiting for my consent. "Yes?" I urged, finding myself antsy as my hands fidgeted with the end of my shirt.

"Is Albus still there?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, utterly confused. Albus was gone – I was here now. This was no longer his body – it was _my_ body now.

Folding her arms in front of her chest again, she answered, "Sometimes when an older host like yours is found they refuse to leave. It does not happen often, and I doubt you will have to worry about it, but there have been a few instances where the will of the host survives. Sometimes they fight back and, _sometimes_ they regain control over their bodies. So, this is why I am asking you this, Blaze. Is Albus still there, or is he gone as he should be?"

I blinked, uncertain if I was hearing her right. Judging by the seriousness of her expression, I assumed that I was. Hesitating, I searched my mind, trying to see if I could find anything. For a moment, I did not stumble upon anything, but then I noticed something unusual. It felt alien, and separate from my awareness. It was as if my mind had thoughts of its own that it was guarding from me with a solid wall. I attempted to breach it, but this separate consciousness did not even seem to notice me there. Returning to my conversation with the Seeker, I replied, "No, he is gone."

"There's nothing unusual?"

"No," I said quietly, unsure as to why I was lying to her, "No, there's nothing unusual."

Free studied me for a long moment before she shrugged and turned to Healer Grimm, who had remained silent as he observed our conversation, and then she said, "All right, Grimm. I am done with him."

The Healer merely nodded at the Seeker as she padded her way out of the room in her noisy sneakers.

Once she was gone, Grimm addressed me, "Do you need anything, Blaze, or are you ready to go now?"

"I think I'm ready to get out of here," I said quickly, getting on my feet. "But thank you for the offer."

The Healer merely nodded in reply before returning to his work, and I walked steadily over to the door. Finding the way out of the hospital was easy, seeing as I recognized it from Al's memories the moment I stepped into the hallway. So, within a matter of minutes I found myself in the parking lot, getting a ride to a hotel from a Healer whose shift had just ended.

The Healer spoke animatedly as she drove, insisting I would love living here and that I would get used to the strength of human emotions soon enough. I was not one to be rude, but I found her high voice to be truly irritating. In fact, it set my teeth on edge when she spoke. So, I attempted to tune her out with the melody of a song I had known when I lived as a Bat. Truthfully, the song was an immense relief from the sharpness of her voice.

While I was staring out the window, focusing on my song, I noticed something strange seem to prod me gently. The song in my head ended abruptly as my attention was drawn to this presence – the same presence that had been hiding behind the wall. I found my reflection in the rearview mirror then, for the first time, and for a moment was distracted by the disturbance within my own head as I studied the face of my host – _my_ new face. Then, the moment I looked into my own eyes for the first time, and took the time to study the ring of light around my pupils, I felt a cold shock flood through my body.

My eyes widened as I realized what had disturbed me, and I was glad I had my face turned away from the Healer as she talked mostly to herself, unaware that I was no longer paying her any attention.

_You're still here?_ I thought, mentally pushing the presence of another consciousness away from my own, hoping to hold it at an arms' length.

_Yes, body snatcher – I am still here_, was the reply. _It is _my_ body and _my_ mind, after all, not yours_.

My fingers curled automatically, turning my hands into fists, and I was surprised by the strength of the anger that suddenly coursed through my veins. _Not any longer, human. You should not even be here – feel free to disappear as you should._

Somehow, I could tell he found this humorous despite his own fury. _Too bad, parasite, I'm not leaving without a fight._

_I can always go back and tell them you're still here,_ I warned. _They can remove me and have you disposed of instead_.

Although I could sense his frustration, my threat silenced him. He withdrew from me, going back to the safety behind his wall. But before he could entirely disappear, it occurred to me that he had been hiding things other than his existence from me. Curious, I attempted to break through, but he managed to hold me back as I had held him back before. After a minute of trying, I gave up. Infuriated once more, I threw the question _what are you hiding from me? _at him.

My frustration amused him, and I could tell that he wished to laugh at me. _Wouldn't you like to know?_

_Tell me, human, or I'll-_

_Or you'll do what? Kill me? Erase me? Either way, I am dead. You can threaten all you like, but know that I would rather die than hand my secrets over to you. You may have my body, but you_ cannot _have my identity._

My mouth nearly dropped in surprise. I was not expecting him to be so stubborn. I had thought he would at least ask me not to kill him. The idea that he would rather hold onto what he was hiding from me than continue to live seemed completely absurd. How could something be more valuable to him than his life? I couldn't wrap my mind around it.

I grappled with my confusion for a few minutes longer, and he eventually broke the silence with a question.

_Why _didn't_ you tell the Seeker about me – I was hiding from you, but you knew I was there didn't you?_

It took me a full minute to think it over. Slowly, I responded, _I was not certain if you were still here or not._

He pondered this for a while, and then he asked another question.

_Would you have told her if you had known – without a doubt – that I was still here?_

_I don't know,_ I admitted. _Probably not_.

_Why not?_

_I don't know!_ I exclaimed, aggravated. _I probably wouldn't have wanted to say anything unless I started to have issues with you being here._

_…you just told me to go ahead and disappear,_ he pointed out curiously. _And I am pretty sure I've pissed you off – is that not issue enough?_

_You know what I mean_, I snapped back. _If you started to take over or something… Or if you annoyed me to the point of ripping out my own hair._

I could tell he didn't like the idea. _Not the hair, please – _anything_ but the hair_.

_Just don't annoy me, or I'll go straight for it… Okay?_

Sounding remarkably childish, Albus replied, _Fine_, and fell silent once more.

* * *

**A/N: **So I realize this story is the first of its kind… Please. don't. hate. me. I mean, if you want to flame me that's cool, but I probably won't reply haha. On another note, I actually have a plan, which will probably change as I write (as my plots usually do), but I have a basic storyline that I'm sticking with. In some ways this will be similar to **The Host** (you may have noticed some similarities already) but it's not the same plot. It is similar in _some_ ways but totally different in others. Anyway, I'm sure you all are wondering how I'm going to implement Rowling's Wizarding World… Well, you'll see soon enough ;)

However, if you have any questions feel free to ask. And, lastly, _**please**_** review**… I probably won't update if I don't think anybody is interested in this to be honest. :)


	2. There's no such thing as Magic

Chapter 2: There's no such thing as Magic

A month passed quickly.

Between finding an apartment and a job and otherwise establishing myself I was too busy to pay much attention to the time. During all of this, Al kept to himself, still keeping himself busy by shielding me from whatever it was that he was hiding. Despite his determination, he was unable to keep some things from slipping through to me. Every now and then I would learn a name or experience a flash of sensation, whether it was a fleeting image or a distinct taste or smell.

But every time I learned something new I found myself with more questions than answers. And I only had a limited number of his memories to go on.

Although Al was keeping to himself, he would comment on something every once in a while. But then almost an entire week passed in silence. I only knew he was still there due to the absence of information. I mean, he had lived for almost twenty-three years, but there were very large gaps in time where I knew _something_ had to have happened. Entire _months_ were gone in some instances, so I knew he still had to be there, his main focus guarding his memories. So, when a week of silence passed I wasn't surprised. If anything, I was relieved he wasn't using his energy to annoy me.

Then, after a week, he abruptly broke the silence.

I was sitting alone in a coffee shop with my head buried in a notebook – I had been keeping a journal and documenting everything that Al had let slip past, not trusting myself to remember everything when he would hide it from me again – and it was while I was sitting there that someone approached me.

"Is it all right if I sit here?"

I looked up to see a woman gesturing at the empty seat at my table. She had a kind gaze and long, blonde hair that was pulled up into a neat bun. Her host was exceptionally pretty, and I felt like I should have known her from somewhere.

She made a small noise of recognition as her light blue eyes scanned my face, inhaling sharply, "Oh! You – your host was Albus, right?"

I nodded, offering her a smile, just as I felt Al stir in my head. He seemed to be happy and sad at the same time as he said, exasperated, _Dominique…_

_Dominique?_

He seemed to be reluctant to do so, but he released a small torrent of memories in regards to Dom, as she had liked to be called. It all happened in a few seconds, too quickly for Dom's host to notice, and then I returned to the present moment.

She asked me something, but I was still distracted and didn't hear what she said as she sat down beside me at the table.

"Huh?"

"What's your name?" she repeated patiently.

"Oh, I'm Blaze," I managed to say.

"Blaze," she repeated cheerfully. Then she offered me a hand and said, "I'm Hazel, it's nice to meet you."

Shaking her hand, I said, "It's nice to meet you, too."

Afterward, she proceeded to ask me where I was from, how long I had been here, and what I was doing. As I answered her questions she would nod politely, and she also gave her own answers to the questions she asked. I learned that she was from the Flower Planet, and that she had selected a new name for herself from Dom's memories. Dom had apparently been fond of the name Hazel, and Hazel told me it was what Dom had planned to name a daughter if she were ever to have one.

Then she told me she had been here, on Earth, for five years in Dominique's body. She said that she had missed living as a Flower at first, but that as she became more familiar with her host she had become fond of her new body. I could tell Al was listening intently even as I did, and it was growing increasingly difficult to keep a smile on my face as he grew more and more depressed.

In fact, he was mourning the loss of his cousin as I chatted freely with Hazel.

"So why are you working at a produce store?" Hazel asked after explaining why she had chosen to come to Earth.

I shrugged, a little surprised that she had brought up my Calling again. "I don't know, Albus –"

_Tell her that working at the Ministry didn't sound appealing to you,_ Al loudly interjected.

I blinked, but Hazel didn't seem to be fazed by the fact that I had stopped talking in mid-sentence. She just sat there, waiting patiently for me to continue.

_You can't let her know that there are gaps in memory,_ he explained when I still didn't say anything. _It would be suspicious_.

_Al,_ I said, condescending, _Souls don't get suspicious like you humans do, that's not something to worry about._

_It would seem suspicious to _her_, trust me on this one, please._

Groaning mentally, I said, "Because working at the Ministry didn't sound all that appealing to me."

"But why are you working with Muggles?" She asked, smiling at me in a friendly manner, "You can't tell me you aren't curious about _our_ world."

I stared at her blankly, resisting the urge to ask her what a Muggle was, and what the bloody hell she meant by _our_ world, when Al spoke again.

_I'll explain later_, he promised, _but, for right now, just say what I tell you to say_.

_And what should I say?_

Tell her you've only been here for a month so you're still trying to figure out what you want to do while you're here.

"Well," I started, unsure, "I have only been here for a month, so I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do."

Hazel didn't question it, although I was no convincing liar. But she had no reason to question me; souls never had reason to be suspicious of other souls. She nodded as though she understood and began to tell me about her Calling. Although I didn't understand what she was talking about, Al hung on to every word and provided me with appropriate responses and remarks.

Then, finally, he told me to ask Hazel about the family.

"You haven't run into any of them, have you?" she asked curiously.

I shook my head when Al didn't tell me to say anything.

"They're all okay," she started to say, sipping her cappuccino as she spoke. "At this point it's only Uncle Ron, Aunt Ginny, James, Rose, Hugo, Molly, and Fred that are still missing."

_What about Lily?_

_You're related to Lily?_ I asked, remembering her name from the first memory of his that I experienced.

Carefully, he flashed a short series of images and feelings at me. Within a few moments I felt rather thick for not realizing it before...

_She's your sister!_

"So Lily was found, then?" I asked curiously.

"Yes – the Seekers found her a few months ago. Apparently she had been living alone in a cave somewhere."

Al's dreary mood improved instantaneously. He went from feeling depressed over the loss of Dominique to hopeful that Lily was still alive – in the same manner that he was – in a flash. Repeating his question, I asked, "Was she living alone?"

With a nod, Hazel said, "That's what she told me."

Excited, I asked, "Where is she now?" before Al could tell me to.

"Well, Heat of the Morning Sun, whose host is now Lily, is currently living at number 12, Grimmauld Place," Hazel said with a frown. "It's so dark there, though, I don't understand how she can stand it. But I guess it _is_ only temporary."

* * *

Later that night, when I finally shut the door to my apartment behind me and was able to start cooking dinner, I started asking Al my unanswered questions. I didn't expect him to answer all of them, of course, but as I put on a pot of water I began to think them through anyway. At first I only asked him one question, but then he said that I may as well ask them all at once and that he would only answer those he deemed appropriate to answer. As I leaned against the counter in the kitchen, I organized my thoughts and selected the two that were the most important to me, hoping that by asking for only a little information that he would be more willing to answer.

_First and foremost, I want to know what Muggles are. Secondly, what did Hazel mean when she said _our_ world?_

He seemed to sigh mentally after a moment, and said, _Don't forget you just put a pot on the fire – this will probably take a while._

_Okay_, I agreed anxiously.

Then, suddenly, he submerged me into one of his memories from a decade earlier, when he was eleven.

I was waiting in a large room with the other first year students after stepping out of the boats we had crossed the Black Lake in. Rose was standing beside me, a worried expression on her face.  
"Al, I'm nervous."  
"Me too," I said, looking down from the tall ceiling to her freckle-covered face.  
"I think the Sorting Hat will put me in Gryffindor. Or, at least I hope it will," she said quietly. "I'm not sure which house I want to be in – which one do you want to be in?"  
I had wanted to be in Gryffindor for at least a year at that point, and I had dreaded being placed in Slytherin. _Especially_ after James had been taunting me about it all summer. But, after my dad had told me it didn't matter to him or my mum which house I was sorted into, I wasn't sure what I wanted.  
Shrugging, I said, "I don't know."  
Before Rose could reply, the doors to the Great Hall opened as Professor McCarthy – an older witch with dark eyes – stepped back into the room. "They're ready for you now," she announced happily. Quickly, we all arranged ourselves into a small crowd and followed her into the hall.  
The first thing I noticed was the multitudes of candles hovering over us, lighting the entire hall. Then I looked up when Rose told me to, and I realized that James wasn't lying when he had said the ceiling was enchanted to reflect the sky outside, seeing as millions of stars could be seen against a blue-black sky. Looking down again, I saw that there were two long tables on either side of me, four in total for each of the houses. Then, I looked ahead of us as we came to a stop and saw the frayed Sorting Hat sitting on a stool in front of the staff table.

I was pulled halfway out of the memory when I heard the water boiling. While the Sorting Hat sung its song in my head, I tried to focus on putting the proper amount of pasta into the water. As I stirred it carefully, I was pulled back into the memory.

After the applause died down, Professor McCarthy began to call out the names of the first years around me. And, one by one, everyone sat down on the stool and had the Sorting Hat placed on their heads. I only took notice to a few of the sortings before mine, one of which was Scorpius Malfoy's sorting.  
I could remember my uncle, Ron, telling me about when Scorpius' father was sorted. Apparently the hat had scarcely touched his head before shouting SLYTHERIN for all to hear. I wondered if the same would happen to his son as I watched him sit down on the stool.  
Surprisingly, the Sorting Hat took its time with Scorpius. Then, finally, the hat shouted:  
"RAVENCLAW!"  
A few people clapped, mostly the professors, but otherwise the hall was silent in the moments afterward. Rose's jaw dropped, and she turned to look at me, dumbfounded. Then, when the professor pulled the hat off his head, the students in Ravenclaw broke out into the appropriate amount of applause.  
Then, I heard Professor McCarthy call _"Marvin, Lena!"_ to the stool. A girl with an abundance of dark brown hair pushed her way past me and shakily walked forward. When she turned around and sat on the stool, however, I saw her wide eyes for the first time and gasped silently. Then, before I could try to figure out what color they were, the Sorting Hat was placed on her head and hid them from view.  
And a few moments later, the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"  
"Bah," Rose complained quietly, "This is taking forever."  
I agreed with a slight nod, hoping once again that I would be sorted into Gryffindor. As I stood there, resisting the urge to glance over at the Gryffindor table where Lena was now sitting, I hardly noticed when my own name was called.  
"Al," Rose pushed me forward when I had failed to move, "_Go!_"  
Stumbling, I strode forward and crossed over to the stool. Feeling several hundred eyes on me, I sat down on the three-legged thing and saw, fleetingly, Lena Marvin looking at me from where she sat over at the Gryffindor table. Then the hat was placed on my head and slid down over my eyes.  
_Hmm_, I heard a voice sound in my head, which nearly scared me off the stool. _Albus Potter, the second son of The Boy Who Lived_. Then he started to mutter to himself, but I caught bits and pieces of what he was saying.  
After a while, I whispered, "Could you put me in Gryffindor, please?" eagerly, but trying not to be rude about it at the same time.  
The Sorting Hat fell silent for a few moments then, before finally saying _Gryffindor… Are you sure that's where you want to be?_  
"Yes! Yes, it is!"  
The hat seemed to chuckle at me. _So, it seems to me that you would prefer Gryffindor, that you are ambivalent about Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, and that you dislike Slytherin_.  
"Please," I pleaded, "please put me in Gryffindor."  
_Are you sure you wouldn't be opposed to Slytherin?_ The Sorting Hat asked kindly, _I feel a pull in that direction for you, and I think you would grow to like it in Slytherin._  
"But my entire family has been in Gryffindor," I protested, "and so is Lena."  
_Why let your family decide for you? And you don't even know Lena…_  
I groaned, wondering how long I had been sitting on the stool. I wondered if Rose would ask me about this later as I said, "Please."  
The Sorting Hat seemed to sigh then, and said, _Very well…_  
"GRYFFINDOR!"

The memory ended then, but I assumed another would come soon. Quickly, I checked the pasta and stirred it again. Then Al pulled me into a variety of memories from his years at Hogwarts. Sometimes there were long pauses between them as he selected the next memory to show me, but at other times the memories melded together. I tried to focus on my cooking, but I still ended up over-cooking the pasta anyway.

The memories contained different emotions – surprise, fear, anger, excitement, joy – but I didn't commit to any of them in particular, seeing as I experienced them in state of utter disbelief. As I watched Al learn how to cast spells, brew potions, and fight or care for magical creatures in his memories I felt a sense of disenchantment. In fact, I felt detached from them, unable to comprehend that any of it was real.

I wanted to believe that he was making it all up – that he was fabricating the memories – but as I experienced them will all five of my senses I knew he couldn't have faked them.

Then, finally, as I finished hand-washing my dishes after dinner, the flow of memories ceased. And Al retreated back behind his wall, although it felt as though the weight behind it had diminished somewhat. I guessed it was because he was hiding less information from me than before.

I found my way to the chair in my tiny living room and said out loud, "I can't believe it."

Al didn't say anything, but I could tell he was paying attention.

_What happened to your wand?_

He seemed to become disheartened as he said, _I lost it a few months ago. I was raiding for food, but I was found by one of your kind inhabiting a wizard. He snuck up on me and disarmed me._

_How did you escape?_

_I wasn't alone, so I had help. Unfortunately, he snapped my wand in half before we could stun him_.

_Oh_, I said quietly, _I'm sorry._

Because we were so intimately linked he knew I wasn't lying. However, my response rendered him speechless for at least a minute.

_What did you just say?_

_I'm sorry that you lost your wand,_ I repeated, wondering why I was bothering to feel sympathy for someone I had spent the last month wishing would disappear.

Al seemed to absorb what I said before disappearing behind his wall again, leaving me mostly alone with my thoughts.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, it's been a little while hasn't it? I'm excited to see where this goes now that I know you guys are interested lol ;) speaking of which… I am currently working on chapter 3 but it may be a little while before I put it up. Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW and let me know what you're thinking – even if you're not liking something – I REALLY appreciate them! (:


	3. Of course my host would be a Wizard

Chapter 3: Of course my host would be a Wizard

_What are you doing?_ Albus asked me one morning, when I strayed from my usual path to the store where I worked, several days after discovering he was a wizard. _Isn't your crappy job the other way?_

He flashed an image of the street behind me then, as if he thought I was genuinely lost.

_Yes_, I said shortly, _but I'm not going to work today._

_You haven't called in or anything… Won't they be angry?_

I shoved my hands into my pockets then, wishing he'd quit interrogating me. But, knowing him, he wasn't likely to stop once he started. Sighing audibly, I replied, _More than likely not, especially when I am going to tell them I was ill_.

Albus was confused, and he quickly shot me a mental image of himself – minus the reflective rings around his pupils, which indicated my presence – raising one of his brows into a high arch as he stated, _I thought you said that your kind don't lie to each other. And you seem to feel fine, minus the sinking feeling. I thought that _I _was the one that was allowed to be depressed, seeing as your kind have wiped out over half of my family and 99.9% of the race I happen to belong to._

_Are you ever going to drop that? It gets old after a while, you know._

_Normally I would say "I'm sorry," but really, it is _YOU_ who should be sorry. Now, really, where in the hell are we going?_

Shrugging my shoulders as I stepped past the other people on the sidewalk, I said, _I really have no idea. I just want to be alone with my thoughts today._

For a long moment, Albus was silent. Then, finally, he asked apprehensively, _you mean you're going to bother me all day, don't you?_

I blocked my thoughts from him then, but his anxiety grew until I finally answered him with a nod of my head. Seeing as he could see, hear, smell, and feel everything as I did, he was more than aware of the movement. A feeling of dread spread through him as the motion stopped.

_You know, asking me for information is better than trying to beat it out of me,_ he said before I could do or say anything else.

_You mean you're actually going to cooperate? Shocking!_

_Oh shut up – I just mean you can ask and I can decide if I want to tell you or not, like the other night. I'm surprised you only asked me two questions, by the way._

Crossing a street then, I explained, _it took you all night to answer them, as I recall. However, my first question for today is about Hogwarts._

Albus was surprised to hear me mention the school and, carefully, he asked, _what about Hogwarts?_

_Well, in the memories you did show me I only ever saw the inside and only glimpses of the outside, but not enough to know what the school really looks like._

Amused, Albus said, _really – you want to know what Hogwarts _looks _like?_

As I stepped back up onto the sidewalk and continued on my way, heading north, I said, _yes, otherwise I wouldn't be asking_.

Without warning then, Albus put together an image of Hogwarts for me from the outside. In fact, as I truly saw the school for the first time I realized it was his memory of seeing it the first time. He didn't necessarily state it, but somehow I knew that it was as the image moved and changed in my mind's eye. To my immense surprise, I learned that Hogwarts was a castle, and that it was _huge_. I was no longer curious about how the school housed so many students as I stared up at its large, stone surface. And, slowly, the memory revealed to me that this was the view of the castle from the boats as they crossed the Black Lake.

The mere mention of the Black Lake seemed to pull up another memory, then, and suddenly the visual of the castle faded and I found myself looking at another scene in Albus' memory. This time, he was approaching the lake as the Giant Squid surfaced nearby, although his eyes were set on a girl with a lot of dark hair who was sitting merely meters from the water.

The girl seemed to realize he was approaching, though, and as he stopped behind her she turned around and looked right at him – and at me at the same time – with her big, brown eyes.

"Lena," I breathed silently so that no one would hear in passing. _She's the girl from the memory of the sorting,_ I stated, _were you friends with her?_

Albus seemed to be speechless, but I could sense something was wrong as his anxiety made my shoulders tense and my pulse pick up its pace.

_Albus? What's going on?_

Again, he was silent. He seemed to be under the impression that if he was quiet I would leave him alone. Maybe he thought I would think he was gone for good, but that would be impossible for me to think while he was causing my body to have such an intense reaction to his stress.

_She's alive, isn't she?_ I realized, stopping in my tracks to the surprise of a person walking behind me. They quickly apologized for running into me, but I ignored them as I continued to question him. _You know where she is, don't you? She's the person you were hiding with… It was you and Lena and your cousin, Rose, wasn't it? And Lily, too?_

Suddenly, Albus shouted, _SHUT UP, BLAZE!_ so loudly I was surprised that nobody on the street heard it.

But it was enough to confirm that I was correct: Lena was one of the surviving humans, as was Rose.

I switched course then, heading east instead of north with determined strides, although I did not move so quickly as to gain unwanted attention from the other people I passed on the streets. After a few minutes I gave into the urge to run and found myself practically flying down the streets as I moved.

_Blaze,_ Albus suddenly said, quietly, _what are you doing?_

This time I blocked him out, knowing that he would be upset the instant he discovered where I was headed. I continued to run, keeping a steady pace as I went, focusing all of my thoughts on my breathing in an attempt to ignore him.

But he was still there. _Where are we going, Blaze? And _why_ are you running? You haven't run since you've been here, and it's been a month, so why are you now?_

Then as I continued to push forward, ignoring the burning in my legs and my lungs, he figured it out.

_Stop! Blaze, stop! Please, Blaze, I'm begging you – where are you going? Stop! Stop running!_ He had begun to shout at me, so it was hard to ignore, _I will _kill_ you, Blaze! STOP RUNNING OR I'LL-_

_Do what – trip me? You can't stop me, so stop protesting already. This was going to happen sooner or later and we have both known it all along._ I said over him as I approached a bridge running over a river.

_Blaze, stop –_ Albus protested loudly, having grown so angry with me that I felt the raw emotion coursing through my veins. And then, just as I was about to reach the bridge, my body seemed to take up a mind of its own and veered sharply to the right, toward the open air over the water. Before I could comprehend what was happening, I was in the air, my limbs searching wildly for something to grab onto. Then, not a second later, I was submerged under the cold water and was sinking fast.

_What did you just do?_ It was my turn to be surprised and pissed off as I thrashed in the freezing water, _are you _trying_ to kill us?_

_If that's what it takes,_ he said stubbornly as my limbs flailed wildly, _you were going to see that Seeker, weren't you?_

_So what if I was – they need to know that there are more humans out there,_ I said as I continued to fight the current pulling me farther down, my lungs burning so badly now that I knew it was only a matter of minutes before I would lose consciousness. As I thought this a biting fear flooded through me.

Albus was afraid as well, but he was determined. _I'm not going to let you hurt Lena or Rose, or anyone else in my family for that matter. We've lost too many as it is._

_Well they are about to lose you, too, if you don't help me!_ I exclaimed desperately, still fighting the torrent of water swirling around me, _I don't even know which way is up anymore!_

_Stop freaking out and just accept it, Blaze. We are going to die, and there's nothing you can do about it, so there's no point in trying to swim._

But I continued to thrash, and almost involuntarily gasped for air as my lungs screamed at me in protest. However, as I inhaled nothing but cold water and felt my insides seem to grow numb I felt something strange seem to pull me. For some reason I didn't fight it, and within a matter of moments I broke the surface and drug myself up onto land as I coughed to clear my lungs of the water.

_What?_ Albus shouted between my gasps, _Are you SERIOUS? This is the absolute WORST time for this! You have got to be bloody JOKING!_

He continued to scream angrily in my head as I gratefully inhaled the air around me, putting a hand to my head and realizing with a shock that my hair wasn't wet. Looking myself over, I realized my clothes weren't wet either. "What just happened?" I asked out loud, grateful that the current had pulled me far enough from where I fell in that none of the spectators were close enough to hear.

_It's called Accidental Magic_, Albus groaned loudly in my head, _and it has the worst timing in the world right about now._

"Magic?" I exclaimed, dumbfounded, as though hearing of it for the first time.

_Yes_, he answered, annoyed. _And, quite frankly, it can go to hell for all I care right about now._

_Well_, I finally said after I found my way back up onto the streets above and found a bench to catch my breath on, _I've decided that I'm not going to go to the Seeker now, after all, so you don't have to worry about that for now._

_Oh, gee, thanks._

Before I could reply to his remark that was absolutely dripping with sarcasm, I heard a questioning voice off to my left, "Albus?"

It seemed to shut him up, too, as I turned my head and spotted a girl slightly younger than Albus standing there, red hair flowing down over her shoulders, a splash of freckles across her nose and cheeks, and brown eyes looking down at me with the familiar reflective rings.

At the same time, Albus and I breathed, "_Lily?_" so I was not entirely certain which one of us had spoken, seeing as he had somehow regained enough control to try and drown me only a few minutes prior.

Looking up and down the street, she nodded after a moment and extended a hand for me to shake as she said, "Call me Heat of the Morning Sun. Lily Luna Potter is my host, and I can see that yours is her older brother, Albus… But what is _your_ name?"

_Lily,_ Albus seemed to whisper sadly, _not you, too, Lils._

As I took her hand and shook it I replied, "Blaze."

Releasing my hand, Heat of the Morning Sun looked over her shoulder again before asking quietly, "Do you want to go back to my place so we can talk?"

Considering the feeling of longing that had spread through my body and out through my limbs, I couldn't help nodding, "Lead the way."


	4. Number Twelve

**A/N: Okay, so I realize I didn't leave an author's note on the last chapter... oops. Oh well, all I want to say is that I haven't written anything past this point yet, but I will most certainly get to it... And I will certainly get to it a lot faster if I get some reviews ;) haha. Not saying I won't update again or anything because I don't demand them in exchange for updates - I find that kind of silly - however I'm much more motivated to work on something when I know others want me to ;)  
**

**Anyway, besides all of that, I really want feedback after this chapter because I'm not entirely sure if it is up to par. That might just be me thinking that though. So be honest and tell me if you don't like something... But be nice about it. I tend to ignore people who aren't nice about it.  
**

**I mean, I can't be THAT terrible!**

**Okay, I'll shut up now, here's chapter four... :)**

* * *

Chapter 4: Number Twelve

Heat of the Morning Sun finally stopped when we arrived between numbers eleven and thirteen of Grimmauld Place, and reached into her pocket before revealing her wand. Albus recognized it as Lily's wand, even though she only had it out just long enough to mutter a quick spell under her breath before returning it to her pocket. Al felt a surge of anger, then, which led me to ask, _what is your problem? This is what you wanted, wasn't it – to follow her?_

_That's _Lily's _wand_, he seethed.

I was too surprised to see Number Twelve appear as a sliver between numbers eleven and thirteen before pushing them out of the way, the entire structure shaking as if an earthquake were rattling them, to pay attention to whatever else Albus spat as we stood there. Yet, as I looked, I realized with astonishment that none of the Souls inhabiting numbers eleven and thirteen seemed to notice. In fact, they continued on with what they were doing as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.

I saw Heat of the Morning Sun looking at me curiously out of the corner of my eye, but as I turned to look at her I saw her seem to shake her head. A smile spreading across her face, she said, "Come on, let's go in and I'll get lunch started," gesturing with her hand for me to enter first.

Albus still muttering angrily, I managed to ignore him and made my way past her and into the house… If you could call such a dreary place a house. Once we were inside, he managed to direct me to the kitchen, but once we were both standing there he fell silent again.

"So, how long have you been here, Blaze?" she asked as I sat down instinctively at the table.

Shrugging, I said, "About a month."

As she rummaged through the kitchen, looking for something to throw together for lunch, she nodded with her back to me, "Only a month, huh? Well, do you like it here so far?"

"Erm," I put a hand to the back of my neck, "I guess. I'm still getting used to it though. This whole magic thing has me a bit put-off."

She very nearly dropped something then, but managed to catch it before giving a short laugh, "Put-off? Why so?"

"It's just not what I expected," I answered, "I mean, I don't know how many of the other worlds you've been to, but none of them have anything like this. It's absurd."

She stopped what she was doing for a moment and turned around to face me, "This is my first planet, actually. And do you think that you would know if the others had magic? I mean, it _is_ kept secret here."

I realized then that Albus had grown silent in my head, but that he was listening intently to the conversation. I started to open my mouth to say something, but paused to ask him, _why are you so quiet?_

_I'll tell you later, now keep talking or she'll notice something's up_.

"Al – I mean, _Blaze_ – what is it?" she asked when I didn't speak quickly enough.

"It's nothing," I said, shaking my head, "I just forgot what I was going to say for a moment there. Anyway, I guess I can see how that could be a possibility – magic on the other worlds – but I highly doubt that's the case."

Heat of the Morning Sun looked intrigued, "What makes you say that?"

"Because," I started, thinking the answer was obvious, "why would we keep something like this a secret? I mean, I understand why the humans did – they never trusted what they didn't understand – but why would _we_ keep it secret? Certainly there wouldn't be any danger in it."

She fell silent then, and stared at the surface of the table between us as she thought. Then she looked up at me again and with a one-armed shrug said, "I don't know, I guess it doesn't make sense. But they – I mean, _we_, have kept it a secret since we've been here. Why do you think that is?"

I was surprised by how quickly the answer came to mind, and I answered, "Maybe out of habit."

"Habit?" She asked, cocking her head to the side, "What do you mean?"

"Well," I said, "We are inhabiting the bodies of people who have been going to certain lengths to keep this world within a world, if you will, a secret from the Muggles for their entire lives. Maybe we keep it a secret out of habit, then."

Straightening her head, she replied, "Maybe." Then she turned back around to continue preparing lunch. In the silence that fell between us, Al stirred in my head.

_Ask her what happened to Lily._

_No._

_Please, Blaze, I have to know what happened to her._

Frowning, I shook my head slightly and repeated firmly, _no._

_Why not?_

_Because,_ I said stubbornly, glad that Heat of the Morning Sun had her back to me so she could not see the internal struggle being reflected on my face.

_I don't know what planet you're from, Blaze, but on Earth 'because' is usually followed by an explanation; it is not an answer in itself._

_Merlin's beard, you are such a smartarse._

_…did you really just say 'Merlin's beard'?_

My eyes widened in surprise, and I almost laughed out loud, _That's funny… I guess I did._

_But, seriously, Blaze, please ask her what happened to Lily. She's my sister – I have to know._

"So what happened to Albus?" Heat of the Morning Sun suddenly asked, breaking the silence, "The last time Lily saw him was maybe a year ago. Where did he go – what did he do – how was he captured?"

It was a good thing she still had her back to me, considering my mouth dropped open for a moment before I had the sense to close it. Albus still had not revealed what he had gone through since the invasion to me, so I did not know how to answer.

But, I think Albus' reaction may have been what caused my mouth to drop, seeing as he was stunned into silence.

_Albus?_ I asked when he didn't say anything.

When I did not provide any kind of answer, Heat of the Morning Sun turned around to face me, looking at me expectantly. "Blaze?" she asked slowly, "How was Albus captured?"

This I knew the answer to, for the most part, so I took a deep breath and explained, "He was looking for you – er, Lily, actually. He had seen her while on a mission to get supplies a week earlier."

As I explained, images began to flash through my mind, as though Al's memories were coming through against his will as I spoke.

"He didn't think that she was a host yet, which is why he decided to try and find her and bring her back with him," I said, suddenly finding a block when I couldn't figure out where Al was going to take Lily if he had found her. It was annoying, knowing that piece of information was there, but not being able to access it, but I didn't press too hard as I continued to speak. "So he went to find her with James…"

When I trailed off, a feeling of shock washing over me, she asked, "_James?_ Albus was with James?"

_Shit,_ Albus said quietly, his voice growing louder and louder in my head as he continued to spout curses.

I fought to block out his shouting as I came back to the room and nodded, "Yeah, I guess so."

When I looked at her then, she was looking at me with her mouth half-opened, her brown eyes wide. Then she shut her mouth and approached the table, leaning over it so that she was eye-level with me as she said, "You only just found that out, didn't you?"

I stared at her, and even Albus quit his cursing long enough to pay attention. So we both stared at her in surprise, neither of us knowing what to say.

"Didn't you?" she repeated, looking us in the eyes very intently, as if she would be able to see Albus trapped inside my head if she looked hard enough. "Blaze," she said quietly, backing up only a few inches, "it's not just you in there, is it?"

_She knows_, Albus said then, _Blaze, she knows._

_I'm aware._

_But she _knows, he repeated, _she knows I'm still here. How did she figure it out so quickly, though?_

_I don't know, let me ask and maybe we'll find out._

_No,_ Albus said stubbornly, _no, you can't confirm that I'm here. It's too dangerous, Blaze, you can't let her know._

_Too dangerous for you, maybe._

Surprisingly, Albus felt betrayed, and I found myself actually pitying him as he pleaded, _Blaze, please don't. Please, Blaze._

Ignoring him, I asked, "What gave it away?"

Then, to both my surprise and Al's, Heat of the Morning Sun's mouth dropped open. For a few moments she just stared at me like that, but then she slowly straightened her back and moved away from the table, backing into the counter. I just stared back at her, my face blank as I watched her rest against it, looking back at me strangely.

"You don't have his wand, do you?" she asked, still watching me intently.

I shook my head, averting my eyes from her face to the door on the far side of the room, "No, it was destroyed long before he was captured. But what does that have to do with –"

I started when I looked back to Heat of the Morning Sun and saw her pointing her wand at me from where she stood by the counter. "Get up from the table," she said, her hand shaking, "slowly."

Reflexively, I threw my hands into the air, "Whoa – it's okay. He's not in control, I still am. There isn't any danger."

Then she took a step toward me and repeated, "Get up now, Blaze, and don't make me say it again."

"But –"

"Just do it!" she exclaimed suddenly.

At what was probably the most inconvenient time ever, Al spoke in my head, _I guess you were wrong; maybe it was dangerous for both of us, and not just me._

_Oh shut up, I'm trying to think._

_Maybe instead of thinking you should just do what she says, she's the one that's armed._

_Maybe I could run fast enough to -_

Al seemed to laugh,_ no, even if you ran quick enough she'd find us. They would find us. Not to mention, if you run she'll think that I've taken over._

_Albus,_ I said slowly, just as I began to slowly rise from the table where I had been sitting, _I don't think she's who she says she is._

_What do you mean? _He asked just as she began to direct me through the house with her wand at my back.

_I mean, if she really were a Soul she wouldn't have immediately jumped to the conclusion that she was in danger._

_Wait,_ Al said suddenly, and I halted in mid-step when he did, unsure if it was me or him that had caused my body to freeze. Then, I realized with a biting fear that it was him when I felt my body turn to face Heat of the Morning Sun again. Before she could react, I felt my lips moving even though I knew it wasn't _me_ moving them, _"Lily?"_

Her entire body seemed to freeze in shock, and I assumed that she would have dropped her wand if she hadn't had such a firm grip on it. After a second, she snapped out of it. And, just a moment before I was about to say something, she quickly snapped, _"Incarcerous!"_

Ropes suddenly appeared from the end of her wand and wrapped themselves around me before I had any chance to react. I fell to the ground as they writhed around me tightly, bonding my arms to my torso. I only bothered to stop struggling against them when I realized that she – whoever she really was – was pulling me along by the ends of the ropes.

"Who _are_ you?" I tried to shout when she had pulled me to a small family room, though it was difficult seeing as the ropes did not allow my lungs to expand completely.

Without answering me, she dropped the ropes and stepped back out of the room for a few minutes. I tried calling after her again, but decided after maybe a minute to try loosening the ropes binding me. Maybe if I could loosen them I could just wriggle my way out of them.

_It's not going to work,_ Al chimed in the back of my head.

I just ignored him and tried to move my arms anyway, but when I did the ropes stirred again. When they made their way up my chest toward my throat I stopped struggling, learning that if I continued they would choke me.

_Well, I don't see you coming up with any brighter ideas,_ I spat as I caught my breath.

He made a chortling sound just before giving his reply, _and why should I?_

_I…_ I paused, and I heard her returning footsteps making their way toward us from somewhere in the great place. _I guess you have a point, but what if she kills us?_

_If she's really my sister, like I'm fairly certain she is, then she won't. She will, however, try to take you out._

My eyes doubled in size then, just as I saw her return to the room, the door swinging shut behind her. Then I watched, dumbstruck, as she opened the small bag she had returned with and began to withdraw what appeared to be medical blades from its depths.

_I told you_, Al said cheerfully.

"But you're a – you're a _Soul_, aren't you? Why are you doing this?"

She set the tools down carefully, then stepped over and pulled me into a sitting position by the ropes that were still holding me still. Once I was sitting there, my back resting again an old, dusty couch, she sat down in front of me and withdrew her wand. I flinched reflexively, but, instead of hexing me, she muttered, _"Lumos,"_ and a beam of light issued from its tip. A moment later, she aimed the beam of light into her eyes maybe a foot from my face. Flabbergasted, I looked from one brown eye to the next, searching for the ring of light I had seen earlier. But I saw nothing; there was no hint of it there. I realized then that it must have been some kind of magic, and I found myself wondering if she was the only one pretending to be a host.

"I am Lily Luna Potter," she said, "and my brother Albus is your host."

Then the light went out, and I blinked. Lily got up once again and went back to the small table where she had set down the things she had returned with.

"You can't do this," I said quietly.

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do," she retorted as I heard her pouring something. It was probably what she was going to use to render me unconscious.

"No, I mean you _can't_ remove me," I turned my head to face her, overextending it to do so. "You'll just kill us both if you try to."

I watched as she seemed to freeze in the middle of picking something up, though I couldn't see what it was through her back. At the same time, Al seemed to have frozen too. I wasn't sure if I had the effect I wanted on Lily, but I knew I did on Al as I felt his apprehension flood through me. Then, suddenly, flashes from a few of his memories flooded my mind. Momentarily, I was absorbed by scenes of previous failed attempts to remove Souls from other humans.

While the humans had bothered to cover up the ruined bodies of the dead humans, the shattered pieces of the Souls they had destroyed littered the floor and silver blood remained on the walls with the red stains they had yet to clean. I don't know how many different scenes of this I saw, there was at least a dozen, but they were all the same. They were all just as bloody as the ones before.

Coming back to the room, I realized it was hot and I was sweating. Again, I tried to fight against the binds holding me, and as they writhed around me once more, squeezing me tighter, my stomach lurched. Before I could understand what was happening, I was sick all over the carpet. It lasted for at least a minute before I realized that Lily was beside me, one arm around me and the opposite hand against my forehead.

_What was it?_ Al asked, actually sounding concerned. _What happened?_

_Go away,_ I said weakly, but still angry.

_Blaze, I -_

_Just go away,_ I repeated stubbornly.

Surprisingly, he fell silent. Lily, however, repeated his question, "What happened?"

The taste of bile unbearable in my mouth, I said hoarsely, "You'll kill us both – me and your brother – if you try it. It'll just be a big bloody mess, just like every time before," I finished, having turned my head to look her in the eyes again.

Lily fell silent then, but held my gaze for a long time as she thought over what I had said. Finally, she sighed and said, "All right, fine. But what am I supposed to do, I can't just keep you tied up here, now can I?"

I shook my head, grimacing when I realized it hurt to do so. "No, they'd come looking for me."

I felt Al stir then, unsure if he was really hearing what he thought he was hearing.

She actually laughed shortly, "They would, and the one inhabiting my father would probably be the one to lead the hunt."

What I said next tumbled out of my mouth, and I realized afterward that it was Al speaking again, "You've seen him?"

She nodded once. "For the first time a couple weeks ago, actually. I would say he's doing well, but given the circumstances I don't think that's quite right."

"You mean he's gone?" Al continued to speak without my consent, "Really gone?"

Again, Lily nodded sadly, "Yes, he is."


	5. Broken Glass

Chapter 5: Broken Glass

Lily was gone for a long time. I was still bound by the ropes she had conjured, lying on the floor. Fruitlessly, I had struggled to get to my feet so I could get my hands on something to cut them with, but I wasn't about to give up. As I continued to writhe around on the floor, Al tried to distract me from what I was doing.

_Where do you think she went?_ He sounded concerned, _she's been gone for at least a couple of hours now, don't you think?_

_I don't know_, I said shortly, _but I'm a bit busy right now._

_You've been struggling this entire time,_ Al said impatiently, _you're not going to get to your feet… much less get something to cut these ropes with._

_I might if you shut up_.

Al was about to say something else when we heard the door open, and I froze to listen to the approaching footsteps. It was probably Lily, returning from wherever she had gone, and I groaned loudly in frustration. The footsteps seemed to stop when I did, though, and I heard a familiar, male voice call out, "Lily? Is that you?"

_Brilliant_, I thought angrily, _another one of your kind._

_No… no,_ Al sounded strained, _it sounds like…_

Before Al could finish his sentence, I watched as the older man entered the room. I turned my head to see his face, and felt a painful pricking behind my eyes as I recognized Al's father…

"Al?" his father was surprised to see me lying on the floor, bound in ropes. He quickly crossed over and inspected my eyes closely, as well as the scar from the incision on the back of my neck. When he seemed to be satisfied that I wasn't human, he used his wand to unbind me. "Who did this to you?" he asked as I rubbed my arms, which were chaffed from the ropes.

I ignored Al's protests – his pleading that I keep Lily's secret – and said, "Lily. She's not a Soul. She's one of them – she's _human_."

_I hate you,_ Al vowed quietly.

I was surprised to find myself bothered by Al's words, and I tried to shake the feeling as the Soul inhabiting his father said, "Why did she do this to you? Did you figure out her secret?"

"Yes," I breathed, "I did… she disarmed me before I could do anything about it."

_Liar._

_Al, please…_

_No,_ he said defiantly, _the next time I get the chance I'm going to kill you._

_You'll die too, idiot._

_I don't care… Lily should have tried to get you out while she had the chance_.

"Where is Lily?" his father asked as he got to his feet.

"She left a while ago... I expect she'll return eventually," I answered, noticing that Al had fallen silent. When I tried to reach him again, I met the all too familiar wall that he used to separate us. I was annoyed, but at least he couldn't take over this way.

"All right, well I guess we'll wait here for her to return," he said. "By the way, you can call me Harry – I decided to keep my host's name a while back."

I could feel Al paying attention, despite that I couldn't quite reach him. He reacted strongly to the Soul's words, and I guessed he was upset that he was using his father's name… although I wasn't quite sure why. As his emotions caused tears to well in my eyes, I had to turn my head to keep Harry from noticing.

"Are you all right, Al?"

I nodded, but didn't look at him. "My name is Blaze, not Al… and I just need to use the loo, that's all," I said quickly before hurrying from the room.

But I quickly became lost, due to the fact that I had no access to Al's memories of Grimmauld Place. I assumed I would find a bathroom if I kept moving, but it became clear after several minutes that this was taking me entirely too long… and if Harry noticed I was lost, he would know something was up.

_Al_, I started hesitantly, _I could use some help here._

He ignored me, so I pressed on until I finally happened across a restroom. It wasn't until I locked the door behind me that the full force of Al's emotions overcame me. In moments I was blinded by tears – angry tears, hopeless tears, and remorseful tears – it was so overwhelming that I forgot for a while that it wasn't really me that was feeling this way.

Finally, I got up from where I had been sitting on the floor, and glanced at myself in the mirror. My eyes were swollen and clearly agitated. Wiping them with my sleeve, I realized it was useless when they wouldn't quit leaking. And, with a sigh, I looked my reflection in the eyes again. I felt myself start to calm down, but, as I continued to stare at my eyes and the reflective rings shining around my pupils, something changed. It happened so quickly I couldn't really understand it.

And, not even a second later, I felt myself punching the glass so hard it shattered. As the pieces of glass scattered on the counter and the sink below, I realized what had happened. For a moment, and only a moment, Al had taken over. Shaking, I pulled my hand back and looked it over, thankful to find it unscathed.

I reflected over Al's words as I stood there, trying to figure out how he had taken over: _I hate you_.

I couldn't blame him for it. And a knot formed in my stomach as I kept repeating his words over and over in my head. I didn't know why they bothered me so much – why his feelings toward me seemed to actually matter to me – and the more I thought it over the more confused I became. _Why should I care what he thinks?_ I kept asking myself. _Why _do_ I care what he thinks?_

Then, finally, I realized something I didn't understand, nor wanted to admit to myself:

For some absurd reason, I _cared_ about Albus.

"No." I stepped back from the counter, and found my way onto the floor again. "No," I repeated stubbornly.

I could feel Al slowly starting to let down his guard, his curiosity getting the better of him as I put my head in my hands. My fear grew as he did. When he discovered what I had just figured out, he would use it against me. I knew he would. If he let his wall down and probed my thoughts while I was still this confused I wouldn't be able to stop him. But if I accepted this, then I would also lose.

Suddenly, I had an idea. Determined, I got to my feet and unlocked the door before beginning to hurry through the house. "Harry!" I called, running. "_Harry!_"

But, as I reached the room where he was, I was nearly hit by a curse that narrowly missed Lily as well. Apparently, she had come back while I was still in the bathroom, and she and Harry were now dueling intensely. I watched from the doorway, peering in cautiously. Neither of them seemed to notice I had returned.

_"Expelliarmus!"_ Harry shouted, and Lily's wand flew out of her hands as she was knocked over backwards. But, instead of flying into Harry's hand, her wand landed at my feet.

_Blaze…_

I watched in horror as Harry quickly stepped over to Lily, his wand still pointed at her. "It's over," he said, "you've lost."

_Blaze!_ Albus shouted, _Do something!_

_I can't._

_Please,_ Albus had never been more desperate, _please do something._

I looked down at the wand at my feet, trying to think. But I was still so confused from the time I had just spent alone.

_Please, Blaze._

Abandoning the idea I had only a few minutes prior, along with all reason, I quickly doubled over, grabbed the wand, and straightened back up. Almost in reflex, I aimed at Harry and said, _"Expelliarmus!"_

I caught the wand, and realized as I set my eyes on Harry, who had been knocked over by my spell, and Lily, who hesitated for only a moment to look at me before getting to her feet, that everyone in the room was shocked by my actions. But neither of them seemed to be as shocked as Al and I were.

_You – you did it,_ he finally said coherently. _That wasn't me – that was you. _You_ did it…_

I tossed Lily's wand to her, and it landed at her feet. She quickly picked it up and pointed it at Harry, shouting, _"Petrificus totalus!"_

Harry's body suddenly went rigid, and it looked as though he had been petrified. When Lily was satisfied with her work, she turned to me and quickly snatched the wand from my hands. Pocketing it, but keeping her own wand in her hand, she said, "Come on now, we haven't got much time before that spell wears off," and started to pull me by the sleeve into the kitchen.

I sat down as she began to shove various items into two small bags. I didn't know how she was fitting everything in there, but I assumed it was some kind of enchantment and remained silent. Al kept bothering me, trying to ask me why I had helped Lily, trying to figure it out, but I made an effort to keep from thinking. It wasn't incredibly difficult, due to the fact that I was in such a shock I may as well have been in a trance.

_Blaze?_ Al's voice became concerned, _Blaze, are you still there? Blaze!_

_I'm still here_, I finally said, sighing audibly. Lily raised a brow at me, but continued to frantically pack her bags.

_Are you okay?_ He asked cautiously.

_I don't know,_ I admitted.

Lily suddenly closed both of the bags, slinging one over her shoulder and giving me the other to carry. "Come on, Blaze, we've got to get moving."

"Where are we going?" I asked, hearing an echo of it in my head at the same time from Al.

"Not here," she said urgently, pulling me by the hand. I let her pull me all the way out the front door and across the street. As we entered a narrow alleyway, she warned, "Close your eyes," moments before turning on her heel.

I barely shut my eyes in time. The feeling was incredibly uncomfortable – it was as if I was being squeezed through a very narrow tube – and if it hadn't been for Al telling me _we're disapparating, Blaze. Don't worry though, it'll be over in a second,_ I probably would've had a heart attack. But, as he had promised, it was over in a second, and my knees buckled under me when my feet hit the ground. Dizzy, I opened my eyes.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked, her voice worried.

Surprised, I looked around and realized we were no longer in the narrow alleyway. Instead of buildings, we were surrounded by trees in every direction. As I listened, all I could hear were the sounds of birds singing and small animals scurrying through the forest. I slowly got to my feet, still feeling disoriented.

"Where are we?" I breathed.

She frowned, "I'm afraid I can't tell you that. But don't try to get an answer out of Al – he's never been here before, so he couldn't tell you. Now, come on, we've got a lot of walking to do now."

"Walking?" I asked, surprised, "why can't we just apparate to wherever we're going?"

"Because," Lily said obviously, "we _can't_ apparate there – it's protected by enchantments."

I couldn't help groaning, "Great."

Laughing, Lily said, "You first – I'd prefer it if I could keep an eye on you."

For a second I considered protesting, but figured that would only end with me bound in ropes again. So, a little reluctantly, I began walking in the direction Lily pointed out for me.

_Blaze?_ Al said after we had been walking for maybe half an hour.

_What?_ I asked, distracted.

_Thank you._

I stumbled, and only after I managed to steady myself, replied. _You're welcome._

* * *

**A/N:** So I wrote this until late last night… so if anything seems off grammar-wise let me know please! So far I have ten follows and five favorites for this story, which in my opinion is pretty good for only five chapters! Especially when you consider that this is still the ONLY Harry Potter/Host crossover on this site so far. I guess I'm not surprised though, because these two worlds are difficult to put together, if that makes any sense… Hmm, anyway, you get to meet a new character in the next chapter… Maybe it will be Lena, maybe not… ;)

But, really, you'll meet Lena at some point… although at the current moment I don't know when that will be exactly…

Last thing – review!


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